2019 was a huge year for Paul T & Edward Oberon, but the duo has been putting out consistently solid releases for over a decade. With a brand new tune dropping on V Recordings’ Future album, and a very strong online presence during the current corona crisis, now seemed like the perfect time to touch base with them.
Thanks for agreeing to the interview, how are you both getting on during these trying times?
Paul – I’m fine considering what the world is going through right now. It just makes you realize how good we all have it and should be thankful for it.
Edward – Getting on OK at the moment, just keeping up with what is happening around us and to the world. On the music front, it’s a great time to thrive and be creative as there is a multitude of inspiration.
2019 was undoubtedly a massive year for you both, but you have been making tunes together for a little while now. When did you first get together and how did it all come about?
We met via the AOL Messenger service that was very popular around the late 2000s, from memory we first started writing music around 2009. Both realized that our musical tastes to writing and listening to drum and bass were similar. We were both releasing music on Creative Source (Edward) and Spearhead (Paul), but both of us were not particularly breaking through in terms of performances and releases having a definitive link, so we thought to join forces and put our strengths forward. We found a home for our project at V Recordings and the rest is history. With Take My Breath Away, Moon In Our Eyes, Tempt and many other successful releases over the years, we are poised and excited to raise the bar and exceed expectations. Shout out to V Recordings staff and artists alike.
With all the momentum of 2019 behind you, 2020 is looking to be another great year for you both as artists. What have you got lined up and has any of it been put on hold due to the Corona pandemic?
It’s been great, Moon In Your Eyes was a standout track for us in 2019. We have a debut album on the way which we feel is our best work to date. We have some interesting collaborations that will feature on it as well, but we have to keep that a secret at the moment. As for gigs/tours, all of our confirmed dates are being rescheduled by Ricky, our agent at Urban Agency. We will keep updates posted via our social media.
In light of the current guidelines on social isolation are you finding yourself with more time on your hands? If so, what are you doing to keep busy?
Making music! Strangely, its seems there is no better time for the world to be at a standstill and we are going to be doing lots of streams via Facebook live, watch out for one every other Saturday evening on Lockdown DNB 2.0 (Facebook Group) and also some last-minute ones when we feel the need to release during these crazy times via our own Facebook fan page. Check our Instagram as well.
As artists you are constantly on the move playing out, are you finding it difficult adjusting to the restrictions currently in place?
We’re just off the heels of a long series of shows strung together in both the US and UK with our brand. But we did plan to take time to finish the album during March. Strange timing with everything going on but we pretty much have our work cut out for us. Full speed ahead!
You were due to do a live stream with Original Sin/Taxman but there were some technical difficulties. what went wrong and have you got a new date in mind?
Well, testing ahead of time is essential for things like this. Unfortunately, technical hiccups occur from time to time. Recently, both ends of this endeavour have worked out all technical difficulties and we will be going live this Saturday and onward.
When we chatted earlier you said you might have a new tune dropping soon, any more info on that?
Yes, ‘I Don’t Trust You’ is coming on the Future album on V Recordings.
How do you feel this is all going to affect the scene in the long run?
The scene will come back bigger and stronger. People will be aching to get out and dance. On the entertainment management side of things, there is a slight hump of adjustment to overcome. All in good time. We’re active right now, irons in the fire and ready for each new day that comes our way.
We also have a handful of questions we are asking everyone we speak to – a sort of quarantine question time. What are your three lockdown essentials?
Takeaway, biscuits, daw, Netflix, youtube and rum and white wine. Shout-out to Bryan Gee for thinking this answer would be vegan sweets!
If you had to self-isolate with one other DNB artist who would it be?
Each other tbh – We enjoy making music together. It’s what we do, it’s what we love doing.
How can fans best support their favourite artists while social isolation is still recommended?
Contact and interact with us and other artists, we are all in this together. Our scene thrives because of everyone involved. The love of the music is what keeps DNB strong to this day.
What are your top five tunes to quarantine to?
The first 5 tracks off of our forthcoming album, stay tuned! Also, a bit of non-dnb for other tastes: David Bowie – Ashes to Ashes, John Lennon – Watching the wheels, Prodigy – Your love, Andrew Weatherall – Feathers and Lone – Jaded.
Any lockdown projects you would like to share here (links to streams planned, socials, best places to keep up to date with you, any collaborations planned etc)
Lockdown DNB also please check the amazing Dave Columbo Jenkins doing an anti-virus update via UKF.
Honestly, how many toilet rolls do you have in your house right now?
Enough! Thank you for asking. Kitchen roll as the backup!
Finally, any words of positivity you would like to share with our readers?
Stay positive, Hang in there, remember your friends and family and take the time to reflect. It’s not often where most of the world stops to take a break. We have each other. Looking forward to seeing everyone, online, in your headphones and on the dancefloor.